Apple drops 20in iMac G5

Bid farewell to the PowerPC-based iMac G5, ladies and gentlemen. Apple has dropped the 20in model from its online stores in the UK, Europe and Japan, though the machine remains on sale in the US. Not for long though, we'd guess.

Apple pulled the 17in iMac G5 early in February, almost a month after introducing the Intel-based models in January. By the end of February, the 15in PowerBook G4 was gone from the retail site, and early this month the PowerPC G4-based Mac Mini was dropped too.

The focus now shifts to the iBook and the Power Mac G5 - both likely to be reborn as the Intel-based MacBook and Mac Pro, respectively. Speculation points to a 1 April - the date of Apple's 30th birthday - for a MacBook announcement, but the high-end desktop isn't expected to be replaced until Intel ships its 64-bit 'Conroe' processor in Q3.

That transition will leave Apple with only its Xserve rackmount unit to replace - again, Apple may be waiting for Intel's next-generation processor architecture with its emphasis on maximum performance and minimum power consumption. ®